Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak

Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak is the monstrous new expansion for Monster Hunter Rise, the critically-acclaimed and top-selling Monster Hunter title that released on Nintendo Switch in March 2021 and PC in January 2022. The story of Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak begins following the heroic defense of Kamura Village that concludes in Monster Hunter Rise. In addition to the all-new storyline, the expansion will introduce new monsters, new additions to combat, the Master Rank quest difficulty, and more when it releases on June 30, 2022 for Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam. After being summoned to aid the distant Kingdom by the gallant knight Dame Fiorayne, the hunters set out for the port of Elgado Outpost.

This bustling maritime waystation is the home of the Laboratory researching the abnormal monster activity troubling the Kingdom, and the Command Post tasked with restoring peace to the realm. The threat befalling the Kingdom is closely linked to powerful creatures known as the Three Lords, each inspired by staples of Western horror. This cadre includes the newly unveiled Garangolm, the chilling Fanged Wyvern Lunagaron, and the Elder Dragon Malzeno. Researching the behavior of the Three Lords will take hunters across the Kingdom to exciting new locales, including the newly-unveiled Citadel. Journey to the West – In addition to the plethora of new hunts to complete, the immersive story will task Kamura’s valiant hunters with researching the secrets behind the puzzling anomalies plaguing the distant Kingdom.

This pursuit will take players on a journey across the sea to a new base of operations called Elgado Outpost, where they will investigate powerful creatures known as the Three Lords, each inspired by staples of Western horror. After the end of the Rampage, the hunter is hailed as a hero and peace returns to Kamura. This peace turns out to be short-lived, as a hermit crab-like monster, a Daimyo Hermitaur arrives in the shrine ruins. The Hunter and Utsushi investigate and slay the Hermitaur but a new, strange werewolf-like monster suddenly appears out of nowhere and attacks the two. They are unable to defeat it until the arrival of a knight from Elgado named Fiorayne, who repels the monster, then explains that the monster is a Lunagaron from the kingdom of Elgado.

Fiorayne shares that her purpose in Kamura is to recruit the Hunter to help the people of Elgado face a trio of monsters called the Three Lords. One of the Three Lords, a vampyric elder dragon known as Malzeno, is believed to be making the monsters more aggressive and driving them out of the kingdom. As the monsters from Elgado are now threatening Kamura as well, Fugen accepts Fiorayne’s request and allows the Hunter to travel to Elgado in order to meet its commander and defeat Malzeno. Arriving in Elgado, the Hunter meets Admiral Galleus and his allies. The Hunter and Fiorayne soon face the first of the Three Lords, Garangolm, and defeat it. The Hunter and Elgado’s lead scientist, Bahari, encounter a species of glowing red moth-like creatures called Qurio.

Bahari believes the Qurio may somehow be responsible for the madness plaguing the monsters of Elgado. The Hunter and Fiorayne soon face Lunagaron again, who is the second of the Three Lords, and defeat it as well, but are ambushed by Malzeno, who seems to be commanding the Qurio. Malzeno poisons Fiorayne with a virus from the Qurio as it departs. New and Returning Monsters – The game will introduce Malzeno, a menacing new flagship monster, as well as other new monsters like the lupine Fanged Wyvern Lunagaron, the towering Garangolm, and new subspecies such as Blood Orange Bishaten. Hunters will also encounter numerous fan-favorite and returning species from previous Monster Hunter games including the voltaic Astalos.

Combat Evolved – The “Wirebug” mechanic that allows for unparalleled freedom of movement and mobility returns! Hunters using the new facilities at Elgado Outpost will also be able to master all-new combat options and Wirebug techniques for all weapon types. More information on these new abilities will be shared in the future. New Locales – Featuring all-new maps with no loading times such as the newly revealed Citadel locale, the continuous gameplay ensures that players will remain on their quests as soon as the hunt begins, without transitions between areas. Hunting Options – Play solo, or join up to three other hunters in online co-op play on Nintendo Switch or PC. The Nintendo Switch system also allows for hunting anywhere, anytime and with anyone via a local connection!

As with previous Monster Hunter titles, Monster Hunter Rise has the player take the role of a Hunter, tasked with slaying or capturing large monsters using a variety of weapons, tools, and environmental features to damage and weaken them while surviving their attacks. Successful completion of the offered quests provides loot, typically in the form of various monster parts from the monster, which are used to forge new armor and weapons that can be used to take on more powerful monsters, forming the series’ notable core loop. Several of the series’ monsters return along with a host of new monsters developed for Rise. All fourteen weapon types that have been present in both Monster Hunter Generations and World, which mix archetypes of swords, shields, staves, bows, and guns, are present in Rise.

Rise uses the same seamless map approach introduced in Monster Hunter: World unlike the zoned areas typical of earlier games in the series. Its maps are more focused on vertical movement than previous games, as implied by its title, so new tools are given to the player to help with quick vertical scaling. The Wirebug, similar to the Clutch Claw added in Monster Hunter World: Iceborne, allows a player to grapple and swing across gaps or to higher locations as needed. The Wirebug also has different interactions with each weapon type, adding to that weapon’s set of moves and combos. Further, the Wirebug allows a player to engage certain monsters in Wyvern Riding, letting the hunter mount and control the creature to a limited degree as to either lead it into areas more amenable for combat or to engage in combat with a different monster.